LAPORTE, Ind. -- An Indiana man was charged Tuesday with murder in the death of a female housemate whose body was found inside a freezer at her northern Indiana home.

Daniel Shoffner, 47, was charged after authorities found the body of Birdie Elder, who was around her early 70s. Court records did not indicate whether he has hired an attorney.

Daniel Shoffner, 47, of LaPorte, Ind., is seen in a police photo.

Court documents show Shoffner told police he was demonstrating "knife moves" and accidentally stabbed the woman in the neck, chest, and also once in the hand when she tried to block him, WSBT-TV reported. His daughter called police after he told her what happened.

A neighbor told the station he was shocked by something so gruesome in their neighborhood.

"I mean, everything is safety for me and my family," Michael Emerson told WSBT. "There's so many crazy people out here that you don't know what's going to go on at any moment or any time and we've never had problems around her until this, now."

LaPorte County Prosecutor Robert Szilagyi said the body will have to be thawed out before an autopsy can be performed. Coroner John Sullivan said the victim was about 70 years old.

Police said the suspect had been previously arrested, including charges of intimidation and battery.

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